Stable alkaline chlorine compositions

ABSTRACT

Improved alkaline chlorinated concentrate compositions are provided which exhibit reduced chlorine loss over extended storage periods and which, when diluted, yield high foaming chlorinated use solutions. The concentrate compositions of the invention include from about 0.5-8% by weight alkali metal hypochlorite, from about 1.0-20% by weight of alkali metal hydroxide, and at least about 3% by weight of a surfactant system including respective amounts of a chlorine-stable trialkylamine oxide and a saturated C 6  -C 12  fatty acid soap, with an amine oxide:fatty acid soap weight ratio of from about 90:10 to about 25:75. The pH of the concentrates exceeds 12.5.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/334,695, filed Nov. 4, 1994, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/159,051, filed Nov. 29, 1993, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/157,922, filed Nov. 24, 1993, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is broadly concerned with improved, stable aqueous chlorine compositions exhibiting reduced chlorine losses as compared with comparative theoretical chlorine losses. More particularly, the compositions of the invention include respective amounts of alkali metal hypochlorite, and alkali metal hydroxide, along with a surfactant system including quantities of a chlorine-stable trialkylamine oxide and a saturated C₆ -C₁₂ fatty acid soap; the compositions moreover have a pH in excess of 12.5 and, preferably, are especially formulated for reduced chlorine loss as compared with the comparative theoretical loss for the compositions.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Chlorine-containing cleaning and bleaching compositions have been provided in the past, which are typically used as stain removers and germicides. For example, in the food processing industry it is common to clean soils from equipment using such alkaline chlorinated cleaners which rapidly break down, solubilize and remove most common soils. In the cleaning of certain types of food processing equipment, it is desirable to apply a chlorinated cleaner as a foam, in order to increase the contact time between the cleaning composition and the soil. Most of these products are supplied in the form of concentrates, and are diluted in water immediately prior to use.

The ability to develop effective, high foaming chlorinated alkaline concentrate compositions is limited by the relative instability of most surfactants to hypochlorites (bleach). Many surfactants are readily oxidized or chlorinated in the presence of bleach. This leads to a reduction in the performance of the surfactant components, as well as a loss, or reduction, in the amount of bleach present. Additionally, an effective high foaming chlorinated cleaning composition requires surfactants that are readily soluble in high concentrations of electrolytes, particularly alkaline materials. Certain surfactants are known to be relatively chlorine stable at low concentrations in bleach. These include the amine oxides, alkyl diphenyl ether disulfonates, alkane sulfonates, and alkyl benzene sulfonates. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,552,680, 4,337,163, 4,271,030, 4,229,313 and 3,684,722.

In order to improve the solubility of surfactants in a concentrated electrolyte solution, hydrotropes are sometimes used. These are organic compounds which themselves must also be relatively stable in chlorinated systems.

Accordingly, the requirements for a successful high foaming chlorinated cleansing composition are exceedingly stringent, with the most troublesome difficulty being maintenance of adequate chlorine levels over long storage periods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the problems outlined above, and provides improved concentrate compositions which have a high degree of chlorine stability while retaining the desirable physical properties for an effective cleanser. The invention is predicated upon the discovery that improved aqueous compositions can be formulated through use of specific levels of alkali metal hydroxide and a surfactant system, the latter including chlorine-stable trialkylamine oxide and a C₆ -C₁₂ fatty acid soap wherein the amine oxide:fatty acid soap weight ratio is from about 90:10 to 25:75. Further, the compositions of the invention in concentrate form have a pH above 12.5, and preferably above about 13.

In more detail, the compositions include from about 0.5-8% by weight of alkali metal hypochlorite, particularly sodium hypochlorite, NaOCl, as well as the potassium and lithium hypochlorite salts. A more preferred hypochlorite range is from about 1.5-5% by weight.

The concentrate compositions should contain from about 1.0-20% by weight alkali metal hydroxide, and more preferably from about 3-12% by weight thereof. The most preferred hydroxides are sodium and potassium hydroxide, and blends thereof, although there are other possibilities.

The surfactant system of the invention should be present at a level of at least about 3% by weight in the concentrate compositions, and more preferably from about 3.5-6% by weight. Advantageously, the concentrates should include from about 0.75-6% by weight trialkylamine oxide, and more preferably from about 0.875-4.5% by weigh thereof. Correspondingly, the concentrate compositions should include from about 0.75-6% by weight C₆ -C₁₂ fatty acid soap, and more preferably from about 0.875-4.5% by weight thereof. In terms of the amine oxide:fatty acid soap weight ratio, the more preferred range for this ratio is from about 75:25 to 25:75.

The most preferred amine oxides useful in the surfactant systems of the invention are of the formula ##STR1## where R₁ is a saturated C_(8-C) ₁₆ alkyl group (which is preferably linear), and R₂ and R₃ are each individually taken from the group consisting of C₁ -C₄ alkyl groups. In preferred practice, R₂ and R₃ are each a methyl group, whereas R₁ would typically be selected from the C₈ -C₁₂ linear alkyl groups.

In practice the ingredients of the concentrate compositions are dispersed or dissolved in water; and other optional ingredients can be provided which do not detract from the useful properties of the compositions (e.g., chlorine stable polyacrylates, sodium tripolyphosphate, silicates or other sources of alkalinity and other chlorine stable surfactants). In particularly preferred forms, the concentrate compositions of the invention consists essentially of the indicated essential and/or optional ingredients.

The concentrate compositions of the invention are preferably formulated for giving the compositions a reduced chlorine loss, as compared with the comparative theoretical chlorine losses for the compositions. The definition and means of calculation of comparative theoretical chlorine loss for the compositions of the invention is set forth, infra.

The concentrates are typically diluted in water to yield use compositions. Generally, the final use solutions contain from about 0.2-5% by weight of the concentrate, with the remainder of the use solution being water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plot of percent chlorine loss versus amount of C₉ fatty acid soap for various concentrate compositions in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plot similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing the chlorine loss versus amount of C₈ fatty acid soap for concentrate compositions of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a plot of percent chlorine loss versus amount of C₁₀ fatty acid soap for various concentrate compositions of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following Examples set forth preferred concentrate compositions and techniques for formulation thereof, as well as test results demonstrating the chlorine stability of the compositions. It is to be understood, however, that these Examples are presented by way of illustration only and nothing therein should be taken as a limitation upon the overall scope of the invention.

EXAMPLES 1-69

The stable chlorinated alkaline compositions of these examples were prepared by mixing the indicated ingredients in the following order: water, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, polyacrylate, amine oxide, fatty acid soap, and bleach (hypochlorite). The compositions were stored in glass containers at 40° C. for eight weeks (some for only four weeks). The actual available chlorine loss for each composition (determined by thiosulfate titration) was compared to the theoretical chlorine loss for each respective composition.

The theoretical percent chlorine loss for each composition, as used below, was calculated as follows: ##EQU1## where:

A1=wt. percent amine oxide in test composition;

A2=chlorine loss in amine oxide reference composition (i.e., containing no fatty acid soap);

A3=wt. percent amine oxide in amine oxide reference composition;

A4=wt. percent soap in test composition;

A5=chlorine loss in soap reference composition (i.e., containing no amine oxide); and

A6=wt. percent soap in soap reference composition.

In Table 1 below, Examples 1-6 are directed only to C₉ soap (potassium nonanoate) and show the effect of varying the weight ratio of amine oxide to soap in the surfactant system (while maintaining the surfactant concentration essentially constant (4.64-4.65%)) on the chlorine loss during an 8-week period. Example 1 is the soap reference composition for the C₉ soap tests, whereas Example 6 is the amine oxide reference composition for these tests.

                                      TABLE 1                                      __________________________________________________________________________           Wt. % Lauramine                                                                        Wt. % Potassium                                                                        Total                                                                               Wt. Ratio                                                                            % Chlorine                                                                           % Chlorine                                    Oxide (30% by                                                                          Nonanoate (45%                                                                         Active                                                                              Amine Loss 8                                                                               Loss                                    Composition                                                                          wt. solution)                                                                          by wt. solution)                                                                       Surfactant                                                                          Oxide:Soap                                                                           Weeks Theoretical                             __________________________________________________________________________     1     0       10.30   4.64%                                                                                0:100                                                                               62                                            2     11.63   2.258   4.65%                                                                               75:25 59    65                                      3     7.75    5.20    4.65%                                                                               50:50 59    64                                      4     13.95   1.00    4.64%                                                                               90:10 64    65                                      5     3.88    7.75    4.65%                                                                               25:75 57    63                                      6     15.50   0       4.65%                                                                               100:0 66                                            __________________________________________________________________________      All compositions contain: 30% by weight NaOCl (12.0%), 5% by weight KOH        (45%), 8% by weight NaOH (50%), 1% Goodrite K7058, Q.S. water to 100%.         Burco LDAO was used as the amine oxide.                                  

FIG. 1 is a plot of actual and theoretical chlorine losses based upon the data developed in connection with compositions 1-6. This plot demonstrates that varying the weight ratio of amine oxide to soap between 90:10 and 25:75, respectively, results in compositions having substantially enhanced chlorine stability, as demonstrated by the reduction in chlorine loss of the actual versus the theoretical calculated losses.

In another series of tests C₈ and C₁₀ fatty acid soaps were employed, in order to study the effect of changing the carbon number of the soap upon chlorine stability. In the following table, composition 7 is the amine oxide reference sample, composition 8 is the C₈ soap reference sample and composition 9 is the C₁₀ soap reference sample. Compositions 10-13 demonstrate the effect of varying the weight ratio of amine oxide to soap between 25:75 and 90:10, when employing the C₈ soap as a part of the surfactant system. Compositions 14-17 demonstrate the effect of varying the weight ratio of amine oxide to soap between 25:75 and 90:10 when using the C₁₀ soap as a part of the surfactant system.

                                      TABLE 2                                      __________________________________________________________________________           Wt. % Lauramine                                                                         Wt. % Potassium                                                                        Wt. % Potassium                                               Oxide (30% by wt.                                                                       Octanoate (22.5%                                                                       Deconate (22.5%                                                                        Total Active                                                                         Wt. Ratio Amine                                                                        % Chlorine                                                                              % Chlorine Loss          Composition                                                                          solution)                                                                               by wt. solution)                                                                       by wt. solution)                                                                       Surfactant                                                                           Oxide:Soap                                                                             8 Weeks  Theoretical              __________________________________________________________________________     7     15.5                     4.65% 100:0   69                                8              20.6            4.64%  0:100  57                                9                      20.6    4.64%  0:100  53                                10    11.63    5.16            4.65% 75:25   51       66                       11    7.75     10.40           4.67% 50:50   47       63                       12    3.88     15.5            4.65% 25:75   48       60                       13    13.95    2.10            4.66% 90:10   70       68                       14    11.63            5.16    4.65% 75:25   50       65                       15    7.75             10.40   4.67% 50:50   49       61                       16    3.88             15.5    4.65% 25:75   49       57                       17    13.95            2.10    4.66% 90:10   61       68                       __________________________________________________________________________      All compositions contain: 30% by weight NaOCL (13.0%), 2.5% by weight KOH      (45%), 4.0% by weight NaOH (50%), 1% by weight Goodrite K7058, Q.S. water      Burco LDAO was the source of the amine oxide.                            

FIG. 2 below is a plot of percent actual chlorine loss versus calculated theoretical chlorine loss for the C₈ soap compositions (compositions 10-13), whereas FIG. 3 is a similar plot for the C₁₀ soap compositions (compositions 14-17).

The data of Table 2 demonstrates that when C₈ and C₁₀ soaps are used, substantial reductions in chlorine loss can be obtained as compared with the theoretical losses.

The following compositions were prepared to demonstrate that C₆ and C₁₂ fatty acid soaps can also be used to good effect in the invention. In Table 3 below, composition 18 is the C₆ soap reference sample, composition 20 is the C₁₂ soap reference sample, and composition 22 is the amine oxide reference sample for both the C₆ and C₁₂ soap samples.

                                      TABLE 3                                      __________________________________________________________________________           Wt. % Lauramine                                                                         Wt. % Potassium                                                                         Wt. % Potassium                                              Oxide (30% by wt.                                                                       Hexanoate (22.5%                                                                        Dodeconate (22.5%                                                                       Total Active                                                                         Wt. Ratio Amine                                                                        % Chlorine                                                                             % Chlorine Loss         Composition                                                                          solution)                                                                               by wt. solution)                                                                        by wt. solution)                                                                        Surfactant                                                                           Oxide:Soap                                                                             8 Weeks Theoretical             __________________________________________________________________________     18             20.6              4.64%  0:100  83                              19    11.65    5.16              4.66% 75:25   76      92                      .sup. 20.sup.1          20.16    4.64%  0:100  59                              21    11.65             5.16     4.66% 75:25   52      86                      22    15.5                       4.65% 100:0   95                              __________________________________________________________________________      All compositions contain: 30% by weight NaOCL (12.3%), 2.5% buy weight KO      (45%), 4.0% by weight NaOH (50%), 1% by weight Goodrite K7058, Q.S. water      Ninox L was used as the source of the amine oxide.                             .sup.1 Composition 20 solidified during the test.                        

Another test was undertaken to demonstrate the effect of using various amine oxides having different alkyl substituent groups. This data is set forth in Table 4 below, which gives the specifics of compositions 23-39, and shows the effect of substituting the various amine oxides from different suppliers having different carbon number alkyl substituents. As set forth, substantially all commercially available amine oxides can be used in the surfactant systems of the invention.

                                      TABLE 4                                      __________________________________________________________________________                          Wt. % Potassium                                                                Nonanoate (45% by                                                                       Total Active                                                                         Wt. Ratio Amine                                                                         % Chlorine                                                                              % Chlorine Less          Composition                                                                          Lauramine Oxide Source                                                                    Wt. %                                                                              wt. solution)                                                                           Surfactant                                                                           Oxide:Soap                                                                              Loss 8 Weeks                                                                            Theoretical              __________________________________________________________________________     23    Burco LDAO 11.65                                                                              3.85     5.23  67:33    53       70                       24    Bureo LDAO 15.50                                                                              0        4.65  100:0    72                                25    Incromine Oxide L                                                                         11.65                                                                              3.85     5.23  67:33    50       61                       26    Incromine Oxide L                                                                         15.50                                                                              0        4.65  100:0    62                                27    Mackamine LO                                                                              11.65                                                                              3.85     5.23  67:33    50       64                       28    Mackamine LO                                                                              15.50                                                                              0        4.65  100:0    65                                29    Stepan Ninox L                                                                            11.65                                                                              3.85     5.23  67:33    58       81                       30    Stepan Ninox L                                                                            15.50                                                                              0        4.65  100:0    88                                31                   10.30    4.64   0:100   40                                32    Ammonyx MO 10.30                                                                              3.44     4.64  66:34    45       63                       .sup. 33.sup.1                                                                       Ammonyx MO 15.50        4.65  100:0    74                                34    Ammonyx MCO                                                                               10.30                                                                              3.44     4.64  66:34    42       60                       .sup. 35.sup.1                                                                       Ammonyx MCO                                                                               15.50        4.65  100:0    69                                36    Ammonyx LO 10.30                                                                              3.44     4.64  66:34    40       50                       37    Ammonyx LO 15.50        4.65  100:0    55                                .sup. 38.sup.2                                                                       Ammonyx SO 12.40                                                                              3.44     4.65  66:34    100                               .sup. 39.sup.2                                                                       Ammonyx SO 18.60        4.65  100:0    100                               __________________________________________________________________________      Burco LDAO (30% by weight lauramine oxide) supplied by Burlington Chemica      Co., Inc., Burlington, NC                                                      Mackamine LO (30% by weight lauramine oxide) supplied by McIntyre Chemica      Co., Ltd., Chicago, IL                                                         Incromine oxide L (30% by weight lauramine oxide) supplied by Croda            Surfactants, Inc., New York, NY                                                Ninol L (30% by weight lauramine oxide) supplied by Stepan Co.,                Northfield, IL                                                                 Ammonyx MO (30% by weight myristyl amine oxide), Ammonyx LO (30% by weigh      lauramine oxide), and Ammonyx SO (25% by weight stearamine oxide) are all      supplied by Stepan Co.                                                         All compositions contain: 30% by weight NaOCL (13.0% for compositions          23-30, 12.3% for compositions 31-39), 2.5% by weight KOH (45%), 4.0% by        weight NaOH (50%), 1% by weight Goodrite K7058, Q.S. water to 100%.            .sup.1 Compositions 33 and 35 gelled during the test.                          .sup.2 Compositions 38 and 39, the stearamine oxide did not completely         dissolve.                                                                

In another series of tests, various amounts of KOH and NaOH were employed. The data is set forth in Table 5 and demonstrates that the compositions have reduced chlorine loss with levels of total base ranging from 1.125-4% by weight.

                                      TABLE 5                                      __________________________________________________________________________                        Wt. %                       %    %                                Wt. % KOH                                                                            Wt. % NaOH                                                                            Lauramine Oxide                                                                        Wt. % Potassium                                                                              Wt. Ratio                                                                            Chlorine                                                                            Chlorine                                                                            %                           (45% by wt.                                                                          (50% by wt.                                                                           (30% by wt.                                                                            Nonanoate (45%                                                                         Total Active                                                                         Amine Loss 4                                                                              Loss                                                                                Theoretical           Composition                                                                          solution)                                                                            solution)                                                                             solution)                                                                              by wt. solution)                                                                       Surfactant                                                                           Oxide:Soap                                                                           weeks                                                                               Weeks                                                                               4                     __________________________________________________________________________                                                              Weeks                 40    0     8      11.65   3.85    5.23  67:33      61.4                       41    0     8      15.50   0       4.65  100:0      66.7                       42    5     0      11.65   3.85    5.23  67:33      60.6                       43    5     0      15.50   0       4.65  100:0      96.7                       44    2.5   4      11.65   3.85    5.23  67:33      54.2                       45    2.5   4      15.50   0       4.65  100:0      78.3                       46    2.5          10.30   3.44          67:33 45.8 80.8 72.4                  47    2.5          15.5    0             100:0 99.1 100                        48    2.5                  10.33         0:100 19.8 33.6                       49    1.0          10.3    3.44          67:33 99.8 100                        50    1.0          15.5    0             100:0 99.7 100                        51    1.0                  10.33          0:100                                                                               27.9 91.9                       __________________________________________________________________________      All Compositions Nos. 40-45 contain: 30% by weight NaOCl (12.0%), 1% by        weight Goodrite K7058, Q.S. water to 100%. Burco LDAO was used as the          source of the amine oxide. All Compositions Nos. 46-51 contain: 30% by         weight NaOCl (12.3%), 1% by weight Goodrite K7058, Q.S. water to 100%.         Ninox L was the source of the amine oxide.                               

In the next test, the effect of varying the level of initial chlorine was studied. This data is given in Table 6 wherein compositions 53, 55 and 57 are reference compositions. Compositions 52-57 demonstrate that reduced chlorine loss can be obtained when the level of NaOCl is varied between 1.2-4.8% by weight.

                                      TABLE 6                                      __________________________________________________________________________                  Wt. % Wt. %                                                                    Lauramine                                                                            Potassium                                                         Wt. % NaOCl                                                                           Oxide Nonanoate                                                                            Total %                                                                             Wt. Ratio                                                                            Chlorine                                         (12.0% by wt.                                                                         (30% by                                                                              (45% by wt.                                                                          Active                                                                              Amine Loss 8                                     Composition                                                                          solution)                                                                             wt. solution)                                                                        solution)                                                                            Surfactant                                                                          Oxide:Soap                                                                           Weeks                                      __________________________________________________________________________     52    20     11.65 3.85  5.23 67:33 55                                         53    20     15.5  0     4.65 100:0 64                                         54    10     11.65 3.85  5.23 67:33 68                                         55    10     15.5  0     4.65 100:0 92                                         56    40     11.65 3.85  5.23 67:33 72                                         57    40     15.5  0     4.65 100:0 74                                         __________________________________________________________________________      All compositions contain: 5% by weight KOH (45%), 8% by weight NaOH (50%)      1% by weight Goodrite K7058, Q.S. water to 100%. Burco LDAO was used as        the source of the amine oxide.                                           

The next series of compositions demonstrate that reduced chlorine loss can be obtained with NaOCl levels of from about 0.6-6% by weight, with 1.125 by weight KOH and 2.0% by weight NaOH levels. This data is set forth in Table 7.

                                      TABLE 7                                      __________________________________________________________________________                     Wt. % Lauramine                                                                         Wt. % Potassium                                                                               Wt. Ratio                                                                             % Chlor-                                                                            % Chlor-                         Wt. % NaOCl (12.3%                                                                       Oxide (30% by wt.                                                                       Nonanoate (45%                                                                         Total % Active                                                                        Amine Oxide                                                                           ine Loss                                                                            ine Loss                   Composition                                                                          by wt. solution)                                                                         solution)                                                                               by wt. solution)                                                                       Surfactant                                                                            Soap   4 Weeks                                                                             8 Weeks                                                                             Theoretical           __________________________________________________________________________     58    5         15.5             4.65   100:0  95.8 100                        59    5         10.33    3.44    4.65   67:33  57.7 97   66.sup.1              60    5                  10.3    4.64    0:100 7.3  20                         61    50        15.5             4.65   100:0       98                         62    50        10.33    3.44    4.65   67:33       60   85.sup.2              63    50                 10.3    4.64    0:100      60                         __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.1 Based on 4 weeks result                                                 .sup.2 Based on 8 weeks result                                                 All compositions contain: 2.5% by weight KOH (45%), 4.0% by weight NaOH        (50%), 1% by weight Goodrite K7058, Q.S. water to 100%.                        Ammonyx LO was the source of the amine oxide.                            

A further set of test compositions was prepared wherein the surfactant system concentration range was varied between 3% and 6% by weight. This data is given in Table 8.

                                      TABLE 8                                      __________________________________________________________________________           Wt. % Wt. %                                                                    Lauramine                                                                            Potassium                                                                Oxide Nonanoate                                                                            Total %                                                                             Wt. Ratio                                                                            % Chlorine                                                                           Chlorine                                          (30% by                                                                              (45% by wt.                                                                          Active                                                                              Amine Loss 8                                                                               Loss                                        Composition                                                                          wt. solution)                                                                        solution)                                                                            Surfactant                                                                          Oxide:Soap                                                                           Weeks Theoretical                                 __________________________________________________________________________     64    10          3.0  100:0 44                                                65    7.5   1.66  3.0  75:25 41    40                                          66          68    3.0   0:100                                                                               28                                                67    20.0        6.0  100:0 73                                                68    15.0  3.35  6.0  75:25 45    65                                          69          13.35 6.0   0:100                                                                               42                                                __________________________________________________________________________      All compositions contain: 2.5% by weight KOH (45%), 30% by weight NaOCl        (12.0%), 4% by weight NaOH (50%), 1% by weight Goodrite K7058, Q.S. water      to 100%.                                                                       Burco LDAO was used as the source of the amine oxide.                    

It has also been found that various levels of optional ingredients such as chlorine stable polyacrylate (employed for thresholding, chelating and rinsing properties), sodium tripolyphosphate, silicates, bases and other chlorine stable surfactants (e.g., Dowfax 3B2) can also be employed without detracting from the desirable properties of the compositions of the invention.

The various commercial products identified in the foregoing Examples are further described in individual product bulletins distributed by the manufacturers thereof. These product bulletins are hereby incorporated by reference herein. 

We claim:
 1. A stable, aqueous chlorine concentrate composition consisting essentially of the following ingredients dispersed in water:from about 0.5-8% by weight of alkaline metal hypochlorite; from about 3-12% by weight of alkali metal hydroxide; and from about 3.5-6% by weight of a binary surfactant system consisting essentially of respective amounts of chlorine-stable trialkylamine oxide and saturated C₅ -C₁₂ fatty acid soap with an amine oxide:fatty acid soap weight ratio of from about 90:10 to 25:75, said composition having a pH above 12.5.
 2. The composition of claim 1, said hypochlorite being present at a level of from about 1.5-5% by weight.
 3. The composition of claim 1, said amine oxide:fatty acid soap rate ratio being from about 25:75 to 75:25.
 4. The composition of claim 1, wherein said amine oxide is selected from the group consisting of compounds of the formula ##STR2## where R₁ is a saturated C₈ -C₁₆ alkyl group, and R₂ and R₃ are each individually taken from the group consisting of C₁ -C₄ alkyl groups.
 5. The composition of claim 4, said C₈ -C₁₆ alkyl group being linear.
 6. The composition of claim 4, R₂ and R₃ each being a methyl group.
 7. The composition of claim 1, said pH being above about
 13. 8. The composition of claim 1, said amine oxide being present at a level of from about 0.75-6% by weight.
 9. The composition of claim 1, said fatty acid soap being present at a level of from about 0.75-6% by weight. 